Petsas: Even sealing in shops that occupy public spaces with table seats

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“This is,” noted Stelios Petsas, “an action that not only deprives citizens of free space, but also distorts competition”

The tightening of penalties, which will even provide for the sealing of the shops who arbitrarily occupy public spaces with table seats, announced the Deputy Minister of Interior Stelios Petsas in response to a relevant Topical Question by ND Member of Parliament Fotini Pipilis.

The Deputy Minister of the Interior separated the problem of the increased unauthorized occupation of public spaces by shops of health interest that were allowed by the Ministry of the Interior to exist due to the health crisis of the pandemic, so that there would be no symbiosis, saying that this was something that was valid at times, but now any extensions that were given have expired since January 15, 2023 and we have returned to the current status before the covid 19 measures.

He stated that “the Ministry of the Interior is absolutely in agreement with the tightening of penalties. In conjunction with the KEDE, there will soon be a relevant Ordinance that will tighten the framework and even provide for the sealing of health care stores that do not comply with the obligations, i.e. the occupation of the square meters that have been granted to them and no more”.

“This is,” noted the deputy minister, “an action that not only deprives citizens of free space, but also distorts competition. Illegal occupation of public space should be treated as a social disgrace.”

ND Member of Parliament Fotini Pipili, for her part, pointed out that “one of the biggest modern problems of megacities and in particular of the greater Athens area is the challenging and ongoing behavior of certain catering businessmen who, completely indifferent to the Laws, Regulations and beyond all logic, occupy public spaces”.

“This” said the MP “about an irregular behavior that offends all citizens, pedestrians and especially the disabled”. He pointed out that despite the efforts of the municipal police and municipal services, these businessmen are not sensible and defiantly continue their tactics. He emphasized that “the mayor of Athens, with his proposal to the KEDK, despairing of the situation that has developed, requested the intervention of the Ministry of the Interior, in order to amend par. 6 of article 13 of the 24/9 to 20/10 1958 Royal Decree, proposal which of course was also accepted by KEDE”.

In this context, Mrs. Pipili requested that very high fines be legislated for those who illegally occupy public spaces, as today these are very low in relation to the income these businesses have from their illegal activity.

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